Both were Roman soldiers and lovers, honoured by the Christian Church as saints and martyrs, under the Diocletian persecution of Christians. Nearchos was Christian, Polyeuct was not. When it became clear that Nearchos would be executed for his beliefs, Polyeuct insisted on converting so that he too, could be martyred, and so would not be separated from his lover in the afterlife.

Died this day

Sodomy in history, February

1812 — The U.S. Supreme Court rules that there are no common-law crimes against the federal government. Since there is no federal sodomy law, this guarantees that there can be no federal sodomy prosecutions.

1953 — The New Mexico Supreme Court rules that the state’s "crime against nature" law does not prohibit fellatio, which it calls "baser than the practices of pagans." In its opinion, the Court drafts a model law to cover such practices, recommending its adoption by the state legislature.